Unified Web Hosting and Content Distribution System and Method for Assuring Predetermined Performance Levels

ABSTRACT

A service model, integrated system, and method for enabling a service provider to deliver an integrated web hosting and content distribution service offering, which affords assured operational performance service levels, regardless of whether the customer&#39;s web site is served by the service provider&#39;s hosting center, the service provider&#39;s content distribution network (CDN), by a third party web host, or by a third party CDN. A monitoring system of the primary service provider receives detailed capacity and health statistics from any CDN under the operational control of the primary service provider, receives aggregate capacity and health statistics from other CDNs not under the operational control of the primary service provider. A redirection system then decides to which web host, content distribution network, or combination thereof, user requests for content are directed in order that operational performance service levels are maintained.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

A service model, integrated system, and method enabling a serviceprovider to deliver an integrated web hosting and content distributionservice offering, which provides assured service levels, regardless ofwhether the customer's web site is served by the service provider'shosting center, the service provider's content distribution network(CDN), or by a third party CDN.

2. Description of Background Art

Traditionally, content distribution network operators serveall-or-nothing for an area of a customer enterprise's web site; i.e.,the enterprise operates its own web site for serving the content, or theenterprise outsources a name space (hostname) to a CDN operator tomanage. There are currently some hybrid approaches offered by serviceproviders. These include offering an enterprise needing web hosting aspecial price to include content distribution automatically as a part ofa package, or offering the enterprise the ability to turn on a CDN as an“insurance policy” to back up an overloaded server. For an enterprise ororganization with unpredictable loads, this can lead to unpredictabilityin cost and performance.

In current common business models, web hosting and content distributionnetworks (CDNs) are distinct. A web hosting service provider runs an“origin server” that is the ultimate site where requests for web contentfrom client machines are handled. As shown in FIG. 1, the web hostingservice provider may itself have a cluster of servers front-ended by acontent-aware switch Sw, and serves requests from client machines,without any inherent content distribution network.

FIG. 2 shows a DNS-based CDN, and illustrates client machines C, localdomain name server DNS₁, caches 2, as part of the IP network. The CDNcan cache web content closer to the client machines C of the end usersof its customers, thus improving performance and scaling to a largernumber of customers. CDNs usually charge a premium for this service,partly due to the added cost of the infrastructure (additional caches2), and primarily because enterprises are willing to pay a premium formore predictable operational performance.

There are two common models for using a CDN. Some content distributionproviders require customers to add special coding to their HTML pages,to rewrite embedded links to retrieve objects exclusively from cachesunder its own operational control and ownership. On the other hand,other CDNs, including AT&T's CDN, for example, outsource a domain (forexample images.company.com), to the CDN, making the CDN “authoritative”for where that content is served. The CDN resolves that hostname to anIP address for a cache (or cluster of caches) it serves.

An extension of the CDN model is something called “ContentInternetworking”, a.k.a. “Content Distribution Internetworking” (CDI),as in FIG. 3. With CDI, a CDN can have another entity, such as a secondCDN B, or third CDN C, resolve the name to an IP address in its ownservice. In this example, (1) a user using a client machine C goes to acustomer local DNS server DNS₁, which (2) sends a message to a CDI DNSserver. That CDI DNS server returns a response (3) to the customer'slocal DNS server DNS₁, which may cause it to make a subsequent DNSrequest (3′) of a DNS server at a second CDN (B in this case) getting aresponse (3″). The customer's local DNS₁ (4) returns an IP address tothe client machine C, which retrieves the data from either CDN B (5,6)or CDN A (5′, 6′).

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to unify hosting and CDNs withrespect to cost, performance, reliability, and other metrics commonlyused to evaluate a hosting service or CDN.

To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the presentinvention, a system is provided for delivering an integrated web hostingand content distribution affording predetermined service performancelevels. The system includes a first web hosting server for a web site;at least one content distribution network; a redirection means, theredirection means for receiving DNS requests from access devices througha local DNS; and monitoring means for monitoring operational performanceparameters of the first web host and the at least one contentdistribution network, the redirection means and the monitoring meansbeing under the operation control of a primary service provider. Basedon signals from the monitoring means, the redirection means of theprimary service provider returns a record to the local DNS indicatingwhether or not the first web hosting server is capable of meeting apredetermined operational performance threshold. The redirection meanssends the local DNS a record including an IP address of the first webhosting server when a performance value is below a predeterminedoperational performance threshold, whereas the redirection means sendsthe local DNS a different record causing the local DNS to make asubsequent DNS request to a DNS of the at least one content distributionnetwork when the performance value is equal to or above thepredetermined operational performance threshold.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the first webhosting server and one of the at least one content distribution networksare operated under the control of the primary service provider.

According to a third aspect of the present invention the first webhosting server and the at least one content distribution networks aremonitored by, but not operated by, the primary service provider.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the monitoringmeans of the primary service provider receives detailed capacity andhealth statistics of any of the at least one CDN under the operationalcontrol of the primary service provider, and receives aggregate capacityand health statistics from others of the at least one CDN not under theoperational control of the primary service provider.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a method isprovided for delivering an integrated web hosting and contentdistribution service which affords predetermined operational performancelevels. The method includes the steps of providing a first web hostingserver for a web site, at least one content distribution network,redirection means, and monitoring means, wherein the redirection meansand the monitoring means are under operation control of a primaryservice provider; receiving a DNS requests from access devices through alocal DNS; and monitoring operational performance parameters of a firstweb host and at least one content distribution network. Then, based onsignals from the monitoring means, the redirection means of the primaryservice provider returns a record to the local DNS indicating whether ornot the first web hosting server is capable of meeting a predeterminedoperational performance threshold. The record sent by the redirectionmeans includes an IP address of the first web hosting server when aperformance value is below a predetermined operational performancethreshold, whereas the redirection means sends the local DNS a differentrecord causing the local DNS to make a subsequent DNS request to a DNSof the at least one content distribution network when the performancevalue is equal to or above the predetermined operational performancethreshold.

As a result of the present invention, organizations and enterprises areprovided an integrated web hosting and content distribution serviceoffering, which provides assured service levels, regardless of whetherthe customer's web site is served by the service provider's hostingcenter, the service provider's content distribution network (CDN), or bya third party CDN.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will becomeapparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, itshould be understood that the detailed description and specificexamples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, aregiven by way of illustration only, since various changes andmodifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from thedetailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawingswhich are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitativeof the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional Web Hosting with a server cluster;

FIG. 2 illustrates a DNS based Content Distribution Network (CDN);

FIG. 3 illustrates Content Internetworking (CDI) with DNS;

FIG. 4 is a schematic overview of the architecture of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 5.1-5.3 show the message exchanges during operation of the presentinvention under three different representative load conditions; and

FIG. 6 shows a representative screen of a customer portal allowingdirect customer visibility into and management of the operationalperformance and other aspects of the service of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the different components of theintegrated web hosting and content delivery system 10 of the presentinvention, as deployed in a representative environment with a primaryCDN (CDN A) and two partner CDNs (CDN B, and CDN C). Shown are a hostingcenter 11, several content distribution networks (CDN A, CDN B, and CDNC), a monitoring system 12, a redirection system 13, and a servicemanagement system 14. Note that the redirection system 13, themonitoring system 12, the service management system 14, and typically atleast one CDN (CDN A is this case) are assumed to be under the sameoperational control as the primary service provider. The contentdistribution networks of the present invention may any of a variety ofcontent distribution networks, which provide audio streaming, videostreaming, website access, or any other web-based service.

With this arrangement, the monitoring system 12 of the primary serviceprovider can directly monitor the capacity and health of servers in itsown CDN A, as shown by the broken lines leading from the monitoringsystem 12 to CDN A. However, it is typically not possible for theprimary service provider's monitoring, system to fully monitor thepartner CDNs (CDN B and CDN C). Instead, as shown, the monitoring system12 will interact with a “local” monitoring system 12 b, 12 c of thepartner CDN B, CDN C. CDN B and CDN C monitor the performance of theirown servers and other systems internally, and then relay aggregatecapacity and health statistics to the primary service providermonitoring system 12, as shown by the broken lines leading frommonitoring system 12 to the monitoring system 12 b of CDN B, and to themonitoring system 12 c of CDN C. The monitoring system 12 in the primaryservice provider network uses the health and capacity measurements ofits own CDN A and partner CDN B and CDN C to determine which customerrequests should be served from the either the hosting center 11, or oneor more of the CDN servers of the partner CDNs involved. The monitoringsystem 12 then updates the redirection system 13 which redirects theactual user requests to the appropriate server(s). The redirectionsystem 13 can perform the client redirection using several well knownmethods, e.g.: DNS, or application level redirection. (Known ContentNetwork (CN) Request-Routing Mechanisms; A. Barbir, B. Cain, R. Nair andO. Spatscheck, IETF Request for Comments: 3568, July 2003).

Next, examples of the operation of the present invention will bediscussed. In particular, FIGS. 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 show the messageexchanges involving an instantiation of the described invention undervarying load conditions.

In FIG. 5.1, the available capacity in the hosting center 11 is suchthat all client requests can be served from there. The interaction witha typical client is shown, including:

1: The customer's client machine C requests its local DNS server DNS₁ toresolve a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) that is associated with theservice, e.g.: customer1.onerateservice.com. (Note that this FQDN mightbe part of a URL that the user encounters while browsing the web.)

2: The local DNS server DNS₁ determines that the authoritative DNSserver for this domain is the DNS server(s) operated by the primaryservice provider. (Note that it can determine this in the normal way byquerying the root DNS servers. This step is not shown.)

3: The redirection system can return an A-record containing the IPaddress of the server in the hosting center 11 which should be servingthe request.

4: The local DNS server DNS₁ returns the A record to the client machineC.

5/6: The client machine C directly interacts with the server in thehosting center 11 to retrieve the data.

FIG. 5.2 shows the scenario where the load in the hosting centerincrease to the point where a customer-specific operational performancethreshold is triggered in the monitoring system 12, causing some or allof the user requests to be directed to CDN A, in order that therequested content can be served in accordance with a predeterminedservice level (as set by a service level agreement (SLA) between theprimary CDN and the customer enterprise). Note that as shown in FIG.5.2, the content can be served from both the hosting center 11 and CDN Aat the same time. Thus, some client machine requests will still bedirected to the hosting center 11 as described before, while others willbe directed to CDN A.

1: The client machine C requests its local DNS server DNS₁ to resolve afull qualified domain name (FQDN) that is associated with the service,e.g.: customer1.onerateservice.com. (Note that this FQDN might be partof a URL that the user encounters while browsing the web.)

2: The local DNS server DNS₁ determines that the authoritative DNSserver (redirection system) for this domain is the DNS server(s)operated by the primary service provider. (Note that it can determinethis in the normal way by querying the root DNS servers. This step isnot shown.)

3: The redirection system 13 can return an A-record containing the IPaddress of the server, either in the hosting center 11 or in CON A,which should be serving the request.

4:The local DNS server DNS₁ returns the A record to the client machineC.

5/6: The client machine C directly interacts with the appropriateserver, either in the hosting center 11 or CDN A to retrieve the data.

FIG. 5.3 shows the situation when the load in the hosting center and CDNA is such that the monitoring system decides to also include CDN B inthe service of the requested content. Further, the content can be servedfrom each of the hosting center 11, CDN A, and CDN B simultaneously,with the monitoring system 12 determining the amount of requests goingto each. In this case it is assumed that CDN B is a partner CDN so thatthe primary service provider redirection system or DNS can not directlyresolve the DNS request into an A-record. Instead, the local DNS serverDNS₁ is directed to a DNS server in the partner CDN B, which willresolve the request to an A-record. (Note that this procedure could alsohave been required for the previous case if CDN A, had it own DNS systemor redirection system, e.g. to realize local load balancing.)

Message exchanges shown in FIG. 5.3 include:

1: The client machine C requests its local DNS server DNS₁ to resolve afull qualified domain name (FQDN) that is associated with the service,e.g.: customer1.onerateservice.com. (Note that this FQDN might be partof a URL that the user encounters while browsing the web).

2: The local DNS server DNS₁ determines that the authoritative DNSserver for this domain is the DNS server(s) operated by the primaryservice provider. (Note that it can determine this in the normal way byquerying the root DNS servers. This step is not shown.)

3: The redirection system 13 can return an NS-record or a CNAME-recordwhich points the local DNS server DNS₁ to a DNS server in the partnerCDN B.

4: The local DNS server DNS₁ requests a resolution from partner CDN B'sDNS server.

5: Partner CDN B's DNS server can return an A-record containing the IPaddress Of the server in CDN B which should be serving the request.

6: The local DNS server DNS₁ returns the A-record to the client machineC.

7/8: The client machine C directly interacts with a server in thehosting center 11, in CDN A, or in CDN B, to retrieve the data.

Internet access for the client machines C described above and shown inFIGS. 5.1 to 5.3 may be via a dial-up modem, DSL-modem or cable modem,in the case of typical residential users, or via a LAN with connectivityto the service provider through a router, in the case of typicalbusiness users. In all cases, a client machine would make use of a localDNS server to resolve host names to IP addresses to enable the client toaccess servers in the network.

The integrated web hosting and content distribution system of thepresent invention includes a billing model that permits the hosting/CDNservice to track usage both internally, and externally (when using CDI).It also includes integrated provisioning, measurement, and managementsystems. The integrated provisioning system accepts input from/about thecustomer, and interfaces with the provisioning system of each of thehosting service and the CDN. Similarly an integrated billing/measurementsystem interfaces to the corresponding systems in both the primaryservice provider, the hosting service, and any partner CDNs. Offeredload to the integrated system is tracked in real-time or near-time time,in order to drive content routing decisions. The functions are part ofthe service management system 14 shown in FIG. 14. On the other hand,they may be separate systems and functions.

The monitoring system has a technical architecture that permits thesystem to select dynamically among the hosting service, and multipleCDNs. This is accomplished as shown in FIGS. 5.1-5.3. The DNS server towhich the local DNS is referred has information about the load andavailability of the web-hosting complex, the integrated CDN, and partnerCDNs (as specified by CDI). It also has information aboutperformance/load capacity thresholds that trigger a switch from one modeof operation to another. Such thresholds may be customer specific (inother words, DNS name specific).

The architecture of the present invention extends the architecture ofcurrent service offerings, for example the AT&T CDN Brokering Service,by integrating a web-hosting complex into the brokering CDN'sdistribution options, and by unifying the billing of a web hostingservice and one or more CDNs.

Next a summary of some of the effects and advantages of the presentinvention are described.

A primary benefit is simplified service from the point of view of theenterprise customer. For example, no longer does an enterprise have todecide whether to make use of its own hosting center, or whether theirtraffic volumes warrant the use of a CDN. The enterprise can simply signup with a service provider offering the integrated web hosting andcontent distribution service of the present invention. Then, when theirtraffic volumes grow to the point where a CDN is needed, the services ofthe CDN are made available automatically in real-time, without the needfor further actions by the enterprise. As a result, operationalperformance levels will be maintained at levels agreed to between theprimary service provider and the enterprise.

Another major simplification from the customer point of view is in termsof billing and interaction with the primary service provider. A singlebill with a flat rate billing scheme will be provided to the customer.This flat rate may be a flat rate per transaction, or a flat rate forusage over a period of time, or a combination of these. In other words,there will be no premium charges for maintaining a certain operationalperformance level, which the enterprise might otherwise be subject to,without the present invention.

In addition, the present invention will enable the primary serviceprovider to provide a single point of contact (SPOC) to each customerfor all the customer's web hosting, content distribution, and billingand reporting needs. As shown in FIG. 6, the present invention alsooffers a web portal or customer management interface 20 allowingcustomers direct access to functions such as response time, availablebandwidth, billing, trouble status, and the like.

Many variations of the service concept described above can be made andare to be considered within the scope of the present invention.

For example, the content distribution networks of the present inventionmay any of a variety of content distribution networks, which provideaudio streaming, video streaming, website access, or any other web-basedservice, regardless of whether are under the control of the primaryservice provider or not.

Further, many variations are possible regarding the mechanisms used toperform redirection. For example, the present invention is described asmaking use of a DNS-based system to perform the redirection task.However, many other redirection methods can be used to achieve theservice unification, including application based redirection.

Further, while the present invention assumes that the redirection systemand monitoring system to be under the operational control of the primaryservice provider, having direct operational control of at least one CDNand the web hosting center are not absolute requirements. All CDNs maybe provided by other (partner) service providers. Likewise, the webhosting center, may be customer operated, or operated by anotherorganization, or any combination of these.

In addition, many variations are possible regarding access to andcontrol of the local domain name servers DNS₁ (See FIGS. 5.1-5.3). Forexample, residential users may gain access to a local DNS₁ controlled bytheir local cable service provider, or a local DNS₁ operated by theirlocal phone company via a dial-up, or broadband link. Businessorganizations may operate their own domain name server DNS₁, oralternatively, the domain name server DNS₁ may be provided by theprimary service provider, or other internet service provider (ISP).

Other service options are also available and should be considered to bewithin the scope of the present invention, including but not limited to,collocation services, managed web hosting services, load capacitytesting services, customer performance monitoring and reporting, andcustomer management for requesting changes and reporting troubles. Inaddition, customer monitoring, reporting, and management may be providedvia a “web portal”, a customer management device of any known type, orother means.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same maybe varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as adeparture from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all suchmodifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intendedto be included within the scope of the following claims.

1. A system for delivering an integrated web hosting and contentdistribution affording predetermined service performance levels,comprising: a first web hosting server for a web site; at least onecontent distribution network; a redirection means for receiving DNSrequests from access devices through a local DNS; and monitoring meansfor monitoring operational performance parameters of the first web hostand the at least one content distribution network, the redirection meansand the monitoring means being under the operation control of a primaryservice provider, wherein, based on signals from the monitoring means,the redirection means of the primary service provider returns a recordto the local DNS indicating whether or not the first web hosting serveris capable of meeting a predetermined operational performance threshold,and the redirection means sending the local DNS a record including an IPaddress of the first web hosting server when a performance value isbelow a predetermined operational performance threshold, and theredirection means sending the local DNS a different record causing thelocal DNS to make a subsequent DNS request to a DNS of the at least onecontent distribution network when the performance value is equal to orabove the predetermined operational performance threshold.
 2. The systemfor delivering an integrated service according to claim 1, wherein thefirst web hosting server and one of the at least one contentdistribution networks are operated under the control of the primaryservice provider.
 3. The system for delivering an integrated serviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the first web hosting server and the atleast one content distribution networks are monitored by, but notoperated by, the primary service provider.
 4. The system for deliveringan integrated service according to claim 1, wherein the redirectionmeans includes a redirection DNS.
 5. The system for delivering anintegrated service according to claim 1, wherein the redirection meansprovides application level redirection.
 6. The system for delivering anintegrated service according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring means ofthe primary service provider receives detailed capacity and healthstatistics of any of the at least one CDN under the operational controlof the primary service provider, and receives aggregate capacity andhealth statistics from others of the at least one CDN not under theoperational control of the primary service provider.
 7. The system fordelivering an integrated service according to claim 1, wherein theoperational performance threshold is response time.
 8. The system fordelivering an integrated service according to claim 1, furthercomprising an integrated provisioning system.
 9. The system fordelivering an integrated service according to claim 1, furthercomprising a customer management interface.
 10. The system fordelivering an integrated service according to claim 1, furthercomprising an integrated customer billing and reporting system.
 11. Amethod for delivering an integrated web hosting and content distributionservice which affords predetermined operational performance levels,comprising the steps of: providing a first web hosting server for a website, at least one content distribution network, redirection means, andmonitoring means, wherein at least the redirection means and themonitoring means are under operation control of a primary serviceprovider; receiving a DNS requests from access devices through a localDNS; monitoring operational performance parameters of a first web hostand at least one content distribution network, wherein, based on signalsfrom the monitoring means, the redirection means of the primary serviceprovider returning a record to the local DNS indicating whether or notthe first web hosting server is capable of meeting a predeterminedoperational performance threshold, the record including an IP address ofthe first web hosting server when a performance value is below apredetermined operational performance threshold, and the redirectionmeans sending the local DNS a different record causing the local DNS tomake a subsequent DNS request to a DNS of the at least one contentdistribution network when the performance value is equal to or above thepredetermined operational performance threshold.
 12. The method fordelivering an integrated service according to claim 11, furthercomprising the step of: operating the first web hosting server and oneof the at least one content distribution networks under the control ofthe primary service provider.
 13. The method for delivering anintegrated service according to claim 11, further comprising the stepof: monitoring the first web hosting server and one of the at least onecontent distribution network by the primary service provider, but notoperating the first web hosting server and any of the at least onecontent distribution networks under the control of the primary serviceprovider.
 14. The method for delivering an integrated service accordingto claim 11, wherein the redirection means includes a redirection DNS.15. The method for delivering an integrated service according to claim11, wherein the redirection means provides application levelredirection.
 16. The method for delivering an integrated serviceaccording to claim 11, further comprising the step of: receivingdetailed capacity and health statistics of any of the at least one CDNunder the operational control of the primary service provider, andreceiving only aggregate capacity and health statistics from others ofthe at least one CDN not under the operational control of the primaryservice provider.
 17. The method for delivering an integrated serviceaccording to claim 11, wherein the operational performance threshold isavailable bandwidth.
 18. The method for delivering an integrated serviceaccording to claim 11, further comprising an integrated provisioningsystem.
 19. The method for delivering an integrated service according toclaim 11, further comprising a customer management interface.
 20. Themethod for delivering an integrated service according to claim 11,further comprising the step of providing integrated customer billing andreporting.